“We only have a website so people searching for us online will know we’re a legitimate business.”
That’s a comment we hear on a regular basis. Companies tend to offer that curious claim as justification for their sorry state of an online presence. They openly admit their sites are lacking when it comes to look, content, and functionality. But, hey, at least they have a website.
It might surprise you to know that 46 percent of small businesses (those with ten or fewer employees and less than $1 million in annual sales) do not currently have a website. What’s more, 22 percent say they’re not planning for a website anytime soon.
Some holdout companies think developing a website is too expensive. Others argue that a website has little relevance to their particular businesses or industries. But unless your business has all the customers it needs, those excuses don’t hold water.
Designed effectively, a company’s website should be its top-performing revenue producer. After all, what salesperson could deliver your refined marketing pitch perfectly at every presentation? Depending on your industry, a handful of sales attributed to your website could cover any development costs.
As to relevance, what business couldn’t benefit from having its phone number, address, and overall purpose easily accessible online? If you have the illusion that customers will search for you in a phonebook, it’s likely you’re suffering from an empty showroom, dining room, or waiting room.
Look, don’t take our word for this—we design and develop websites for a living. Just know that 81 percent of shoppers conduct online research before making a purchase. And the average consumer visits at least three online sites before reaching a final buying decision.
If you’re just looking to confirm that you’re for real, then join the Better Business Bureau. But if you want to have a truly legitimate business, you need to have a powerful website.
